Terry Francona Wants To Manage Again

According to Buster Olney from ESPN.com, former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona plans to manage next season, if offered the opportunity.

The Red Sox announced last Friday that they would not pick up the option on Francona's contract. Other than Boston, the Chicago White Sox have the only managerial opening. Ozzie Guillen left Chicago in the final days of the regular season and later took the Florida Marlins job.

Philadelphia Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin will be one of the candidates interviewed for the vacant managerial position, a source close to the Red Sox told Olney. Mackanin has served as an interim manager for both the Reds and Pirates but has never served full-time in the role.

The Red Sox also must address what they plan to do in the event another club comes calling for general manager Theo Epstein, especially since, as one major league source close to Epstein told ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes, it's "50-50" the GM would leave for the right situation.